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A little pressure for Interlagos

Formula 1 wants to be in Brazil. It is a traditional venue and there have been Brazilian drivers in the sport, on a regular basis, for more than 40 years. But the old Interlagos facility in Sao Paulo has long needed a revamp, although Bernie Ecclestone always forgets this fact when he is criticising Silverstone. Interlagos has now fallen so far behind the other F1 circuits that there is beginning to be pressure and a plan has been floated to re-profile the last corners, where two touring car drivers have been killed in recent years and to build a new pit and paddock facility on the back straight. But will that actually happen? Brazil is also renowned for getting away with delay after delay, on the basis that F1 needs the country. At the moment there is a deal in place for the race at Interlagos until 2015 and a new contract will likely be dependent on changes being made.

It must be remembered that Interlagos has been a racing facility since 1939 and that its existence as a circuit is owed to the fact that the unstable hillside on which it is build was deemed unsuitable for housing when property developers built in the area. Rather than waste time on a circuit design, they simply took the ideas which had been used for Roosevelt Field, on Long Island, near New York, and adapted them to the available land. The track has been revamped somewhat since the 1970s but the spirit remains much as it was. The facility was engulfed by the expanding city in the late 1970s as shanty towns were build all around it, but the area has improved somewhat in the last 15 years, although sections of the approach are still relatively hazardous, as F1 folk have found out in a series of attacks in recent years – although there was no hint of trouble this year.

No-one wants to see Interlagos disappear, as it remains a challenging circuit, but there are people who believe that Brazil would do better to shift the race to a new site, in order to publicise the other side of life in Brazil: golden beaches and plenty of sunshine. The country’s major tourist destinations are the beach resorts on the south coast. These have very high occupancy during the summer months (the European winter) but are quiet for much of the year. The vast majority of the tourism is domestic and of the small group of international visitors, 72 percent come from Argentina, 11 percent from Paraguay and eight percent from Chile and Uruguay. European and long-haul visitors are headed by Portugal, but that amounts to only two percent of the international visitors. The local authorities have identified tourism as a key growth area for the economy. It is in the light of this knowledge that the announcement that Beto Carrero World is building an international level racing facility is fairly interesting. It is being designed by Hermann Tilke.

Beto Carrero World is the largest theme park in Latin America. It is located at Penha, in the state of Santa Catarina, which is on the Atlantic coast between Curitiba and Florianopolis. The park was opened in 1991 and has been expanding ever since. There is plenty of room for expansion as it sits on a 5.4 sq mile site. The facility opened an international kart circuit last year and it recently became the venue of the annual Granja Viana 500 km kart race.

The park has been run since 2008 by Alex Murad and his sister Juliana, following the death of their father João Batista Murad, a cowboy who has traveled the world performing several shows, including Las Vegas. After a visit to Walt Disney World in Florida, he returned to Brazil, intent on building a similar facility. The business has expanded slowly but recent economic growth in Brazil has increased the number of people able to afford to visit and last year the park had a turnover of $50 million.

As part of the expansion since Murad’s death, the park has embraced motorsport. In addition to the kart race, the venue will host rounds of the FIM Motocross MX1 and MX2 Championships in May next year.

The current plan is to build the track in the next couple of years and then bid for a round of the IndyCar Series. If all goes to plan, the facility will end up being rather similar to Suzuka, with the race track adjoining the theme park, and able to share some facilities.

However, if the local government is interested, F1 might be a better option in the longer term.

A bit wacky, but how good would it be if they could replicate Interlagos at the new site by means of earth moving. Its such a fantastic circuit. And that way they could move the pits safely and we could keep a fantastic layout and see the best of Brazil.

Notwithstanding the infrastructural problems, Interlagos remains one of the finest tracks in the F1 schedule. Hopefully it won’t be replaced by another dreary ‘Tilkedrom’. It won’t be long before he has designed every track on the calendar!

It’s worth remembering Joe that Brazil only recently had a track perfectly capable of hosting F1, MotoGP and Indycar races – the Jacarepagua circuit in Rio! It may have needed a revamp and new support buildings etc, but it had the most beautiful scenery, with mountains to one side and the beach to the other, plently of sunshine, located on a major world tourist destination… that was until the local powers that be in their infinite wisdom decided to vandalise it and build a sports arena (that never gets used) on top of part of the circuit. Watched my first ever live F1 race there as a kid and still have fond memories. A terrible shame that it is now lost to motorsport.

The site of the Jacarepagua circuit is to be one of the centre pieces of the 2016 Rio Olympics.
The original F1 circuit there was dismantled about 16/17 years ago, with CART utilising the oval. Part of the old circuit remained for use of club racing – I believe it is also now too short to meet F1 minimum length standards.

“Beto Carrero World is building an international level racing facility is fairly interesting. It is being designed by Hermann Tilke.”

An oxymoron if ever I saw one. :)

Hopefully they never leave Interlagos, one of the few tracks left where the racing is almost always exciting, with overtaking possible. But then again with the clamour to expand in the “BRIC” countries a Brazil double-header wouldn’t be too far-fetched would it? especially considering that Bernie and co are trying to put together a little package in that kind of time-zone to generate interest from the U.S.A.

Hopefully they don’t tinker with the layout too much either. I understand it’s for safety reasons, but in these health and safety obsessed times there is often the temptation to err too far to the side of caution. Has there been any plans released for the reprofiling of the corners joe? if so could you be so kind as to link us to it?

No-one wants to see Interlagos disappear, as it remains a challenging circuit, but there are people who believe that Brazil would do better to shift the race to a new site, in order to publicise the other side of life in Brazil: golden beaches and plenty of sunshine.

Joe,

Quick question for you as I’m too young to remember, but if that’s the case, why didn’t the race in Rio work out? I would have thought that venue ticked those boxes?

No. It moved back to São Paulo because of the lack of attendence in Rio.
And the kart track at Beto Carrero World was inaugurated last week with the practices for the 500 MILES (not KM) Kart Race (800km = 700 laps).
The race was won by Christian Fittipaldi´s team with a margin of 3s over Barrichello´s team.

I hope Mr. Tilke continues to show the signs of finally “getting it” which seem to have surfaced with the COTA design. Wrt Brazil circuits, I think fondly of Jacarepagua, Rio de Janeiro, flat but has breathtaking mountain scenery. Soon to be demolished anyway. BTW, speaking of Indycars, CART ran on Jacarepagua oval in the ’90s. Even then I felt it ideal for those cars: little or no banking.

Interesting you would mention COTA and Tilke. From what I am to understand… the layout of the track was done by Tavo Hellmund and Kevin Shwantz. Tilke then took their vision and ‘engineered’ it. Apparently turn one was a sticking point with Tilke… with Tavo having fought with him to keep it. I am predicting turn 10 to be a suprise hit. (Everybody talks about turn 1)

This may be the reason why I think it will be… quite possibly… one of the best motor circuits in the world.

Tilke tracks are certainly boring as far as spectacle is concerned… but as far as F1 2011 for XBOX is concerned… they are a riot to drive. :) Particularly Sepang for turn five and six… and Istanbul Park for… well… the whole circuit.

Love Interlagos, Spa and Suzuka… I’m not sure that Tilke tracks are really that bad, but I think that elevation changes should be more pronounced on new tracks – it really adds to the show.. I wonder why they haven’t featured more prominently in the new gen tracks. Maybe someone can educate me…

1. Existing landscape (India re-profiled the entire area the circuit sits on to add elevation). I am sure that artificial elevation comes with quite a price tag.

2. Safety (elevation adds another dimension that must be factored). Tilke is pretty good at providing a safe circuit. That seems to be priority #1 for the man.

COTA, as mentioned by Anthony… sits on a site that already had some natural elevation that could be ‘augmented’. Therefore it is likely going to be quite a favorite. Also, alot of the design work on the circuit was done in close cooperation with Tavo Hellmund and Kevin Schwantz… so it has a notable shape that stands out against Tilke tracks.

Would be a real shame to lose Interlagos from the calendar. Amazing air conditioned perfectamundo garages and team PR zones might be fun for those in the sport, but, for fans, what matters most is a good race circuit. Really dread the thought of another Abu Dhabi type Tilkedrome springing up in Brazil, amazing facilities, zero character or race action…..

[quote]But then again with the clamour to expand in the “BRIC” countries a Brazil double-header wouldn’t be too far-fetched would it? especially considering that Bernie and co are trying to put together a little package in that kind of time-zone to generate interest from the U.S.A. [/quote]

The season could begin and end in Brasil. The tracks could even rotate yearly. The best of both Worlds with the added bonus of greater exposure in the USA at a time of day folks might actually watch.

On a side note Joe, did you see the Indy car race from Brasil in 2011. If so what did you think of the course layout and location?

I understand how difficult designing racing facilities of F1 standards must be. Many considerations have to be sorted out, and the track design itself is important…

But SURELY there is another entity capable of this feat besides Tilke. We’ve already got a good portion of the tracks F1 races on with his signature design stamped all over them. Boring isn’t an adjective I’d like to associate with any facet of the sport, but as far as the track layouts are concerned…well, here we are. I won’t say it because others already have…

I’m not as much of a Tilke-hater as most. He’s had some flops (Abu Dhabi) and some interesting tracks like Turkey. I’m even looking forward to Austin and to Buddh after they clean the dust off so cars can pass off-line. But in general I would agree that his tracks are a little lackluster.

Why is it that Tilke gets all of the track design contracts? Isn’t there anyone else out there in this big, wide world who can design a racing facility?

There are not alot of track design firms that have the understanding of FIA requirements like Tilke has… so he is the go to guy.

The older circuits were designed in an era where many F1 drivers tragically died. But they sure were exciting.

New circuits are designed with safety at the forefront… so it is a tradeoff. Excitement vs safety. If you think you can design a track that mixes the two perfectly then you should try… but not many people have. Until somebody steps up to the plate we are likely to see alot more Tilke.

I would consider Nurburgring and Spa my favorite tracks. Spa has been lucky enough to get away with re-profiling some turns… whereas the Nordschleife has been completely scrapped in favor of the new ‘ring’. There is a reason why the drivers called it the ‘Green Hell’.

You and I saw a great race… but many drivers saw a deathtrap.

This is why Tilke gets the deal over and over again. He designs a track that is safe.

So that is Tilkes competition. I wonder how he feels about Apex designing the Bahrain kart track. Interestingly enough, Tilke GmbH does not come up under that search. He markets himself as a engineering consultant.

His circuits in the Middle East have fallen rather flat, but Istanbul, Sepang and Shanghai are consistent crowd pleasers as well as challenging race tracks for drivers and teams.

But I do get the impression that the “range” of circuits is narrowing, that the differences between each circuit are getting smaller and smaller as the new tracks come in and the old ones are modified for safety reasons etc. etc.

Which itself is a shame because it means that a car which is dominant at one circuit is likely to be dominant at the rest. What price a return to the huge, high speed, pre-2001 Hockenheim?

It won’t happen. Beto Carreiro facilities are far enough from the main economic centers in Brazil, which would jeopardize the overall revenues. You won’t be able to join 90K spectators paying 300 Eur average tickets on Camboriú. By the end of the day, we know it’s all about profits.

The only single place in Brazil that would compete with Sao Paulo is Rio – but Jacarepagua circuit is a long gone from now.

Interlagos has plenty of space for a revamping – it will take some money, but the payback is guaranteed. F1 is the known as the most important revenue generator event for Sao Paulo.

The track, the history, the public are all there. No need to move. Period.

“Rather than waste time on a circuit design, they simply took the ideas which had been used for Roosevelt Field, on Long Island, near New York, and adapted them to the available land.”

That’s probably why it’s so good. Not designed in CAD, not plotted out with GPS, no precisely plotted curves… just a design on a piece of paper and some guys out walking the land saying “ah, close enough”. That created the idiosyncrasies that give the track character. Tilke’s tracks just don’t have that character because everything is planned to the Nth degree.

Another idea that I had was to make the facility completely enclosed. Use the long, abandoned straight as an airstrip and get Tilke to do what he’s really good at: design a hotel. That would help prevent the mechanics getting robbed, and the potential of a driver getting robbed as well.

I’ve forgotten the name of the firm that did the Silverstone revamp, but that worked out very well indeed. There ARE other designers than Tilke out there but they don’t seem to get the business. Is Bernie’s money grubbing hand in this? We are all frustrated with the Tilke tracks; Joe, do the teams have any say in the designs at all? I would think consultation with the teams and drivers re track design would be a the very first step in the process.

I hear a lot about crime when the F1 circus goes to Brazil. As a potential visitor, it puts me off. What are the chances of F1 finding a Brazilian circuit with a slightly lower crime rate? I’d like to feel safe in Brazil.

I passed Beto Carrero World earlier this year whilst visiting family near by. I didn’t visit the park. The roads that pass the theme park are great – the rest well not really ready for convoys of F1 stuff. The nearest air port is Navagantes and that is far from international and only just a an airstrip – Floripa is 3 hours in the other direction and is not international either – both you would have to change at Sao Paulo – or drive from sao paulo it’s only 12 hours or so in good weather….
I wouldn’t say the beach resorts nearby are anything to get excited about. Ocotberfest in Blumenau is the biggest event in the state.
The crime rate is very low in Santa Catarina compared to the rest of brazil – the people also are far richer than the avergae and the state has unprecidented growth year on year – I can see why Bernie likes it….

To leave Interlagos would be saying goodbye to Ayrton. Would Brazil still hold F1 to it’s heart?

What a depressing thing to read. The thought of losing Interlagos is bad enough but to replace it with a Tilkedrone is unbearable. Tilke is clueless and he is not getting any better. Imagine Interlagos being replaced by yet another 20 corners in 3 mile track with stings of 6 or more single line corners that do nothing but promote field spread.

Not only is he not getting better but he is adding new idiocy to each track. For more than 30 years everyone has said F1 braking zones are too short. Tilke’s answer at turn 1 at Houston is to shorten it further by having an uphill braking zone. That left me speechless.

If he keeps creating new circuits I dread to think what new ‘features’ he will dream up. It’s only a matter of time before he tries to fit 35 corners into 3 miles.

> But SURELY there is another entity capable of this feat besides Tilke.

I believe there are two or three other firms who have the necessary credentials to do F1 tracks… but they all go to Tilke anyway…. which makes it seem like more palace intrigue BS from Bernie.

Recently, it appears that Tilke’s on-the-job training is beginning to show that he’s slowly learning, as the India track seems interesting and what little we know of the Austin track seems promising. Don’t know why he had to slowly learn by designing boring tracks for which others paid a fortune, but there you are.

While his recent tracks seem better, the man evidently still can’t grok how to do a proper pit entrance and exit. How hard can it be? I’d think you could hand Mario a pencil and a napkin and he’d get it 95% right in his first doodle.

If the point is to get rid of Interlagos to publicise Brazil’s beaches and sunshine, what about Silverstone, Spa, Monza, Suzuka and the new Austin venue, in locations that offer little to tourists?
No, I definitely think that most of us – fans – want to go and visit the “racing temples” instead of all of Tilke’s boring and predictable tracks.
Interlagos is a must: a challenging, formidable “old” track that doesn’t need DRS since it has “natural” overtaking points. Over.
Let’s think big, let’s think in great tracks for the world’s greatest category in motorsport instead of great negos!
Let’s forget talking about money… at least for a while. Even if Sao Paulo is – undoubtely – much more profitable than any other hypotetical Brazilian venue to host F1.

Another opportunity for people to use the reasonably sickening word “Tilkedrome”, and bemoan ‘sterile, new tracks’. Yet forget Sepang, Shanghai, Istanbul, and now Buddh. Probably the same people moaning endlessly about the BBC. Get a life.

“But there are people who believe that Brazil would do better to shift the race to a new site, in order to publicise the other side of life in Brazil: golden beaches and plenty of sunshine.”

Well that’s just great, not only would we lose one of the greatest F1 circuits to those people, but the disadvantaged people of Brazil lose out too. The slums do not exist if they are not on TV is the thinking here.

there are hundreds maybe a few thousands of foreigners coming over to SP to watch the GP, every year; they mostly take seats in front of the pits, til the S and the half-arena around Curva do Sol – those are the more expensive tickets, and, not all sure but likely, those are the places where spectators suffer less with queueing lines to the entrance gates for the refered sectors – i mean suffering regarding the long time to get to the gates on Sunday morning.
I have never heard of any of them been assaulted on the way to the autodromo, or while queueing to get in. But I know of wallets, and even notebooks bags, being stolen from distracted people in hotels lobbies and at airports – well, that’s quite the same anywhere, isn’t? and it helps not wearing an expensive watch – carry a mobile in pocket and check times on it.

In 97 I went to watch from sector M (right in front end of pitlane, but before the S, which is another, and very expensive, sector). I got there three hours before start, and entered after a dozen minutes of queueing. there was a big group of joyful finns, with flags and all, in support of Hakkinenn of course. also a few germans.
Three years later I watched from sector A, the long one just before the pits – and the one to which i used to go in the seventies. It is mainly attended by locals, and I had to endure a five hour up standing, mile long queue to get in – and all that to seat among a crowd of red capped Barrichello-Ferrari fans. Bleargh.
That long enduring wait is usual in the sectors that locals go, not coincidentally the cheapest.
I never felt threatened while on the queue, even though it lined right in front one of the favelas for half of distance – and I’m pale skinned, i have to say, not phisically tall and strong man, and carried with me one noticeable black bag with a 300 mm lens and camera inside it. I was accompanied by a 11-year old nephew only.
There was some police in between the favela sidewalk and the line, to prevent any attempt of assaltos. a lot of drunk people that spent night waiting for gates to open, but that is just what police expects having to deal with.
In the neighbourhood of the most expensive sectors, those ones around the S and Curva do Sol, there are NOT favelas, only middle class houses, but a lot of police because also a lot of street vendors (caps, raincoats, earplugs) and black market (and faked) tickets sellers. That’s not the kind of thing a foreigner should fear, even more because entrance there use to be quick.
Being inside you just have to endure expensive and low quality food (hotdogs and burguers) and beer and no consideration by an yone for the assigned numbers to seats in the tickts, because this a very recent rule and people just do not take it seriously, afeter many years of first to get in gets best places. If one can afford it, should go for sector D, that allows to see the start face on, pitlane exit, all the S, from braking thru to Sol and entrance to Reta Oposta – from an overview sight, no doubt the best place of all at Interlagos. Costs more than 2K reais (almost a thousand euros), it gets crowded despite the price, and the emotion of it is the same of a decisive football match – and bear in mind it is one part where most of the racing happens.
Never been there because the price too salty and I use to save money that allows me to go to Belgian GP every 2 years…
But I think obligatory to go watch a GP at Interlagos at least once in a fanatical spectator career.

@ Frederik: a mate in a blogger here in Brazil, long time ago found answers to that question when browsing thru the very strict FIA rules and conditions for designing and building a F1 purposed track; elevation changes as it happens at Spa-Francorchamps and at Interlagos are simply not allowed any more.
from what we have all seen in India, it seems only possible on straight and very spacious lines of track.

The crowd at this years Brazil GP was amazing, I would love to experience that atmosphere…It would be a shame to loose that.

Talking of new circuits, isn’t there some sort of stipulation from the FIA that corners have to meet certain requirements? Like non-varying apexes and the like? Maybe that is what causes the new tracks to be a little dull, when compared with the old ones…

Well anyway congrats on a very informative post, specially with accurate geographical info about Brazil. I’m from Curitiba, so Penha would be a little closer (300 vs. 400 km), but as almost everyone said, losing Interlagos would be a nightmare.

If the goal were to promote tourism, especially beaches, the Northeast of Brazil is where it’s at. The water in the southeast is cold even in the summer. A race in Salvador or even further North in Recife (pure blue coral reefs), Natal (unspoiled dunes), or Fortaleza (seaside drops) would be great for the country and for the visitors.

Unfortunately most of the big money in Brazil is in Sao Paulo, so a race in the Northeast won’t happen any time soon, despite the fact that that is the region with the greatest growth in tourism. As oil wealth spreads maybe it will go back to Rio, but realistically a remodel of Interlagos is by far the best option, with a procession at the new Tilke drive-through lane an interesting option.

Joe: also on the topic of money: IMHO, but with some local insight, I would argue that the F1 race shifting from Rio to SP had more to do with the general economic, cultural, and political power shift of the country than with Senna vs Piquet or attendance.